The Smarter You Are The More You Enjoyed This Film

In keeping with Marvel's best efforts, Joss Whedon again sets this movie apart from every other standard adventure movie, by the way he communicates the overall experience. We live the story and we feel the intensity and gravity of every situation. He uses so many characters well and we fully embrace each one as we go along with them on this amazing ride. Yes, characters like Hawkeye, Cap and Wanda/Pietro are all stand outs but each character is vital and pivotal to the overall story itself. It’s wonderful that we got to know “the big guns” in their own solo movies before this adventure but even the non-big guns are fleshed out to a remarkable degree. That adds so much to the depth of this movie. It isn't just about comic book pulp or things that go "boom" but about a powerful, exciting and meaningful story. The elements are fantastical but perfectly balanced by the characters and the way Whedon grounds everything.

Visual and emotional imagery are presented throughout the movie and provides the viewer with greater insight into the heroes AND even the villain. Yes, a robot AI can illicit emotion from the viewer and register in a meaningful way. Everything here screams quality and screams smart fun all the way through. Despite the depth, darkness and serious consequences there is still a great deal of fun. That's something I'm so grateful that Marvel usually delivers. For those going into this flick expecting a lot of fun, prepare to enjoy. Yet, fun is not the only piece of this pie. In fact, I think most INTELLIGENT movie fans will be stunned at how many levels this movie delivers upon.

This is a smart and surprisingly complex film that really delivers on everything promised in all those teaser set-ups and from the promise of the first film. Yes, a few scenes feel cut but I'm betting what hit the editing room floor will do nothing but enhance and already heady experience when we see the extended cut.